I am a critical reader and I wouldn’t have written the $21 figure if it hadn’t been substantiated from numerous sources. I’ve done my homework. Joseph, if you’re going to call the Washington Post and New York Times “rags” then I wonder what you read. Is a federal source good enough for you? (By the way, these newspapers get their information from Reuters and the Associated Press, which are also highly reputable. Journalistic bias is inescapable, but you highly exaggerate it.)
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/faqs.htm
Since the passage of the Farm Bill, benefits have risen slightly, so you’ll see if you scroll down the page that the average benefit is now $24 per week as opposed to $21. Still, I can’t imagine living on that amount and I don’t think anyone should call it easy until you try it. Again, benefits will vary depending on the situation. I believe the minimum benefit is just $14 while the maximum can be as much as $176. So, head, I’m not surprised that you know people getting more than the average benefit. Also, these are national figures; the statewide figures differ. For example, the average food stamp benefit is Massachusetts is lower than the nationwide average benefit. Maybe in New York it’s higher.